Pekin Insurance Partners with Ensono to Modernize Mainframe Operations, Achieve Significant Cost Savings, and Accelerate Innovation

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Sept. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ensono, a leading technology advisor, innovation partner, and managed service provider, has successfully partnered with Pekin Insurance, a leading provider of life and property & casualty insurance, to modernize Pekin's mainframe operations, drive significant cost savings, and position the company for future growth and innovation.

Facing the dual challenges of rising mainframe costs and evolving technology needs, Pekin Insurance turned to Ensono to explore a Mainframe-as-a-Service (MFaaS) solution. The collaboration has enabled Pekin Insurance to streamline its IT operations, reduce risk, and unlock new opportunities for automation and scalability.

A Strategic Move for Long-Term Success

"As our organization evolved, we needed to ensure our mainframe environment remained cost-effective, secure, and supported by the right expertise," said Kristen Pruitt, Assistant Vice President, IT Infrastructure, Pekin Insurance. "We initially assumed that Mainframe-as-a-Service would be cost-prohibitive, but Ensono's team demonstrated not only significant savings, but also a clear path to reducing risk and modernizing our operations."

Pekin Insurance's mainframe environment supports both its life and property & casualty businesses. With the property & casualty division well underway on its modernization journey, the life insurance business faced the prospect of shouldering the full cost and operational responsibility of the mainframe. At the same time, the company recognized the importance of having access to specialized expertise to maintain and upgrade its legacy systems.

Delivering Results: Cost Savings, Risk Reduction, and Operational Excellence

Through its partnership with Ensono, Pekin Insurance achieved:

• Significant Cost Savings: The move to Ensono's MFaaS platform resulted in multi-million-dollar savings over five years, freeing up resources for strategic initiatives.
  
  
• Enhanced Automation and Efficiency: With Ensono's support, Pekin Insurance is moving from zero automation to a streamlined, automated environment, improving operational efficiency and scalability.
  
  
• Access to Deep Expertise: Ensono's team provided the specialized skills and support needed to manage, upgrade, and secure Pekin's mainframe environment.
  
  
• Reduced Risk and Technical Debt: The migration process enabled Pekin Insurance to address longstanding technical debt, improve security, and ensure ongoing compliance and stability.
  
  
• Future-Ready Flexibility: The MFaaS model gives Pekin Insurance the flexibility to scale up or down as business needs evolve, and to pursue further modernization at its own pace.

A True Partnership

"The Ensono team brought not only technical expertise, but also a genuine passion for mainframe technology and a commitment to our success," said Pruitt. "Their forward-thinking approach, investment in talent development, and professional facilities gave us confidence that we were making the right choice for our business and our customers. With Ensono managing our mainframe, our IT team can focus on innovation and serving our policyholders, knowing our environment is secure and up to date."

"We're proud to support Pekin Insurance on their modernization journey," said Phil Ratcliff, SVP, Insurance, Ensono. "Our mainframe-as-a-service solution is designed to deliver both immediate cost savings and long-term agility, helping clients like Pekin Insurance focus on what matters most—their customers and business growth."

To learn more about Ensono's mainframe modernization capabilities, visit https://www.ensono.com/offerings/mainframe-modernization/.

About Ensono

Ensono is an expert technology advisor, innovation partner and managed service provider. As a relentless ally, we specialize in helping enterprise clients transform their organization, innovate new and disruptive technologies, and optimize their IT operations to achieve better business outcomes. Our dedicated team works across hybrid environments with services that span consulting, mainframe and application modernization, public cloud migration and cloud-native development. With certified experts in Azure and recognized as Microsoft Datacenter Transformation Partner of the Year, Ensono has over 3,700 associates globally and is headquartered in greater Chicago.

About Pekin Insurance

Pekin Insurance has been protecting families and businesses since 1921. Headquartered in Pekin, Illinois, the company is a leading property, casualty, and life insurance provider. Through a network of more than 1,100 independent agencies and over 10,000 insurance producers, Pekin Insurance delivers multi-line coverage in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Utah as well as life insurance only products in an additional 14 states.

As an employer, Pekin Insurance is dedicated to creating a workplace where employees can belong, thrive, and make a difference.

SOURCE Ensono